Flexible shaft.



No. 890,336. PATENTED JUNE 9, 1908. G. H. GOATBS.

FLEXIBLE SHAFT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.12, 1906.

\A i cnesses v R0 UTorDmQ/vb. Erecwge H Cocfies @w/ mzaw, B

Ai wh mrneg GEORGE HFGOATES, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

FLEXIBLE SHAFT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. June 9, 1908.

Application filed September 12, 1906. Serial No. 834,360. I

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. 'OOATES, a citizen of the United States, residing in Worcester, in the county of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Flexible Shaft, of which the following is a specification accompanied by drawings, formin a part of the same, in which igure 1 represents a portion of a flexible shaft embodying my invention with inclosing case shown in the central sectional view. Fig. 2 re resents in the center a longitudinal sectiona view, and on a larger scale several of the links of which my flexible shaft is composed. Fig. 3 represents in perspective view one of the links of which my shaft is composed, showing the form of the link before it is assembled with other links to form a flexible shaft. Fig. 4 is a central sectional view ofseveral of the links forming my improved flexible shaft, but shown on a plane at ri ht angles to the section represented in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view along line 5-5, Fig. 4.

Similar reference letters and figures refer to similar parts in the difl'erent views.

My resent invention relates to that class of flexible shafts which are composed of a series of links hinged or otherwise connected together so that a rotary movement of any one of the links composing the shaft will be communicated to its adjacent connecting link, notwithstanding that the axes of the connecting links are out of alinement. In forming the flexible shaft shown in the accompanying drawings, the several hnks composing the shaft are similar in shape, and each of the links is provided at one end with a socket adapted to receive the end of the next adjacent link which is inserted therein.

In the construction of my improved flexible shaft the form of each link as shown in perspective view in Fi 3, consists of a body portion 1 at one end 0 which is a cylindrical socket 2, and at the opposite end is a tip 3, approximately spherical, and having its s1 es flattened as shown at 4 Figs. 3 and 5. The other links are assembled to form the shaft by inserting the tip 3 within the cylindrica'l socket 2 and compressing the wall 5 of the spherical socket on diametrically opposite sldes of the tip, as shown at 6, Fig. 5..

The compression of the wall 5 of the socket corresponds with the flattened sides 4 of the tip, and the wall of the socket is brought into sufficiently close contact with the flattened sides 4 of the tip to cause the rotary movement of the latter to be imparted to the wall of the socket. The curvature of the flattened sides 4 of the tip, however, permit a rocking movement of the tip within the socket in the lanes indicated b the broken lines 77 an 8-8, Fi 5, whi e the ed e 9 of the Wall 5 of the soc et is turned slig tly inward upon the narrow neck 10 of the pin to prevent the withdrawal of the tip of the socket. The above described construction enables, the axis of the link to be brought at an oblique angle to the axis of its connecting link, and at the same time enables the rotary motion of one link to be im arted to its connected link. This metho of uniting the connecting ends of the links-obviates the necessit of forming holes through the ends of the inks to receive ivotal pins which tends to weaken the sha t and increases the wearin surfaces. The com ression of the sides 0 the wall 5 of the soc et on the four sides corresponding to the flattened sides of the tip is readily ELQCOIIIIIPllShBd, as the surplus material in the wa of the socket is alowed to expand at the corners as shown at 11, Fig.5.

By the above construction the rotary motion of one link is imparted to its connecting link by bodily contact of the flattened sides 4, against the rectan ular inner surface of the socket. In wear t e contacting surface of the links may be taken u by the further compression of the soc ets against the tips 3, or by the substitution of new links. In order to enable the sections of the shaft to be removed and replaced I unite the connected links at intervals without compression of the socket 2 by means of a pin 12, Fig. 4, held in the socket and passing through an elongated hole 13 in the tip of the adjacent link, therebyenabling the chain to be separated at this point by the removal of the pin. For convenience in replacing portions of the shaft, the entire shaft ma be divided into several sections connecte by pins, 12 thereby allowin any one of the sections to be removed an replaced by a new section.

I claim,

1. In a flexible shaft, the combination with a series of connectedlinks having articulated joints consisting of a tip olygonal in cross section located within t e corresponding socket integral with the connected link,

whereby the rotary motion of one link is imarted to its connected link, said socket avin its walls corresponding in form with the po lygonal sides of said tip.

2. In a flexible shaft, the combination of a link rovided with a ti approximately spherical in its longitudina section and approximately polygonal in its cross section, and a connected ink provided with an integral socket at one end, said socket corresponding in form with the sides of said tifp.

3. In a flexible shaft, the combination 0 a series of similar connected links, each of said links having at one end a ti substantially polygonal in cross section an having curved sides in its longitudinal section and having at its opposite end an integral socket inclosing the tip of the next adjacent link, said socket having its inner wall corresponding substantially to the polygonal sides of sald tip and having. the opemng at the outer edge of said socket smaller than said tip to prevent the removal of the tip from the socket.

4. In a flexible shaft, the combination of two connected links of similar form and united by an articulated joint, consisting of a tip on the end of one llnk having substantially polycgional sides and an inclosin socket on the en of the other link and lntegral therewith with its sides corresponding in form to the sides of the tip.

GEORGE H. COATES. 

